1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an improved process for carpet reclamation and more particularly, the process is directed to the use of an agent for chemically softening or dissolving binder material conventionally associated with carpet in order to expedite and simplify the reclamation process.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Carpet reclamation processes have been previously proposed in the art and are exemplified by the process disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,473, issued to Hagguist et al., Jul. 27, 1993.
In the Hagguist et al. method, apart from introductory steps which involve screening the carpet, and preliminary loop cutting and other processing, the removal of the secondary backing involves a whole series of steps. This additionally is the situation when the binder material is to be removed from the primary backing.
In greater detail and with respect to the removal of the secondary backing from the carpet, the carpet must be initially exposed to fluids under pressure for loosening and debonding the latex binder from the secondary backing. The next step includes passing the remaining material onto a further processing stage where the secondary backing is mechanically treated with rotating mechanical impingement devices on both sides of the carpet. It is the mechanical arrangement that results in the removal of the secondary backing. At this time, the binder system is still substantially intact.
In order to remove the binder material, the remaining carpet structure must be passed to yet another stage where there is included a plurality of rotating brushes as well as rotating high pressure nozzle heads. This, as indicated by the patentees, results in the gradual loosening and removal of the binder system from the primary backing.
In view of the teachings of this reference, it is clear that the method is dependent on the use of mechanical means for the removal of not only the secondary backing, but further the removal of the latex binder conventionally positioned between the secondary backing and the primary backing.
The Hagguist et al. process also suffers the drawbacks common to all multiple step processes, including increased production time and cost, the use of a greater number of moving parts, the potential requirement for a larger labor force and difficulty in efficiently operating at a commercial level wherein, for example, millions of square meters of carpet may be processed.
In view of what has been proposed in the prior art set forth above, there clearly exists a need for a high efficiency method of reclaiming base components of a carpet quickly and without the use of toxic contaminants or multiple stage processes.